Red Dog Plug Is Now Born!

[mawnansmiff]

This is a follow up of the thread I started regarding my first attempt at pressing tobacco to make a plug.
Well folks, my curiosity got the better of me and I just opened up the press!
Extracting the Red Dog Plug was a lot easier than I had envisaged, I just scored two lines with the Dremel then with a sharp penknife and my Leatherman I managed to get the plug out. I was astonished to see that the top of the plug has our Queen's head and the date of the 50p coin that was the first coin in the stack!
This is the former cut in two with the stack of coins used for extra compression. They should give an idea of how much tobacco actually went into the former...

Here is the top of the plug with the last remaining coin still in place...

Plug side, top and bottom. The imprint of the date and outline of the Queen's head is just visible...

Here is the plug cut in two. Note how it is 'dished', this is because my coin wasn't quite the right diameter of the former...

Close up of one half of the plug...

What's left of the former...

Though only in the press since Sunday it is pretty rock hard and was a bit of a pig to cut in half...surely a good sign? I've not yet smoked a bowl but shall later in the day and report back. I am currently smoking the very same mixture unpressed so as I will be able to make a decent comparison. By the way, it smells gorgeous and appears to have lost no moisture at all ::
Regards,
Jay.

 

[iamn8]

Looks amazing!! Congrats!

 

[pitchfork]

Nice! Do you plan to age it/rest it or will you smoke it right away? Will be curious if the taste is markedly different.

 

[sthbkr77]

I see you're using either clear wrap or foil (hard to see). I've had success with waxed paper, no sticking. Tey look great though, I like the small plugs and may have to build a setup like yours. I've been doing the same just with 2 inch pipe.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Pitchfork, I will be trying a bowl later in the day but the remainder will be sealed up to age a little while.
Sthbkr, I used tinfoil on the top as I had no wax paper to hand though I shall be using that on subsequent trials but first off I need a 'proper' former. Still not sure if it will be a steel tube or a wooden box, I think I prefer the latter.
It is clear to me now that a longer pressing would have been better but as this was only an experiment I thought what the heck...just open it up!
It really does smell delicious and for some reason is darker than the tobacco that went into making it...I wasn't expecting that at all.
As this was in part inspired by forum member Oldreddog (after whom it is named) half of the plug is bagged up to send to him as a thank you.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[hmhaines]

Looks delicious, can't wait to hear how it tastes!

 

[mawnansmiff]

Well I am now smoking a (small) bowlful of the stuff. Naturally it tastes pretty much as the unpressed version though with more emphasis on the Brown Bogie component.
I initially made my mixture of 60/40 Curly Cut and Brown Bogie as though I liked BB (which is a rope BTW) very much, I found it a little strong so I 'eased' it a little with the CC.
Before I did this experiment I should have waited for my new tin of Solani Aged Burley Flake to arrive as member Deathmetal had made the suggestion to add that to the mix. I tried it in a small proportion and it really smoothed things out. However I was in a hurry so used what I had.
Yes it is good, more flavoursome than the unpressed mixture, but (for me at least) is still on the strong side. I suspect member Dave will report back on how mild it is when he gets his sample :roll:
The rest is now sealed up for sometime in the future.
Regards,
Jay.

 

[fitzy]

How long did you keep it in the press? You might want to leave it in there for a week and see if it tastes differently.

 

[agnosticpipe]

Very cool Jay! Now you've got my mind turning and thinking about doing something like that. So many tobaccos to try....

 

[papipeguy]

Well done. I applaud your efforts.

 

[texmexpipe]

Great job! I'm looking to something similar soon.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Congrats!

 

[jvnshr]

Yep, congrats! Nice job.

 

[seagullplayer]

I have learned a couple of things
1) I want to try this!

2) I love the coin impression!
I have a pretty good size vise in my home shop that will work as a press.

Just got to get a few bits and pieces together...
Thanks for the write up, good job.

 

[mawnansmiff]

Seagull, I presume if you intend on using a vice then you will be working 'horizontally'. Then you will need a better fitting top cap (than my stack of coins method) so as to not lose tobacco from the former if that makes sense.
I would suggest using a sturdy 'box' former, well screwed together (to facilitate plug removal) and of a reasonable thickness to prevent it bursting.
If you do go ahead with your plan be sure to post your progress on here, I for one would love to see it.
I have thought that next time I do this I might experiment with layering my tobacco and possibly using a little sugar water (maple syrup perhaps?) to act as a binder.
Regards,
Jay.